Earlier this month, USDA announced it was directing the Forest Service to expand grazing opportunities on federal lands. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said this move was part of the Administration’s effort to strengthen the nation’s ranching industry. Livestock organizations applauded the announcement while some environmental groups expressed disappointment.
Chelsea Hajny, Executive Vice President of the Washington Cattlemen’s Association said it’s key to remember that ranchers and producers are the original conservationists.
“The cattle preserve and protect landscape in ways that humans can’t,” Hajny said. “They will go graze and eat brush and other bushes that other animals won’t, which removes fire danger. Their hooves aerate the soil. Their manure gives back to fertilization. I mean, the list goes on and on and on about all the benefits that a cow gives to the landscape.”
Hajny added many of these federal areas that ranchers are looking at grazing, are very prone to wildfires.
“If the cow can graze that stubble down, if we do get fire, it’s not going to be as devastating,” she said. “And so the benefits of having a cow graze public lands are so beneficial. And that’s something that we really do work to educate people because people don’t understand that.”
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